After traveling through that area and speaking many words of encouragement, he arrived in Greece,
Parallel translations
- WEB When he had gone through those parts, and had encouraged them with many words, he came into Greece.
- KJV And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece,
- NKJV Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece
- NASB When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece.
- NLT While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul travels through Macedonia encouraging the churches, then comes into Greece. His ministry is marked by ongoing exhortation.
Overview
Passing through the Macedonian regions, Paul gives the believers "many words" of encouragement, likely the period in which he wrote some of his letters. "Greece" refers to Achaia, especially Corinth, where he would spend three months. The repeated emphasis on encouragement shows that Christian growth depends on continual teaching and exhortation in the word of God's grace.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- 1 Th 4:1Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, just as you have received from us. This is how you already live, so you should do so all the more.
- Col 1:28We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
- 1 Th 2:3For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery.
- Acts 20:11Then Paul went back upstairs, broke bread, and ate. And after speaking until daybreak, he departed.
- 1 Th 2:11For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children—
- Zech 9:13For I will bend Judah as My bow and fit it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against the sons of Greece. I will make you like the sword of a mighty man.
- Acts 14:22strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
- Acts 16:12From there we went to the Roman colony of Philippi, the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
- Acts 2:40With many other words he testified, and he urged them, “Be saved from this corrupt generation.”
- Acts 17:10As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue.
- Acts 20:6–7And after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we sailed from Philippi, and five days later we rejoined them in Troas, where we stayed seven days.
- Acts 17:1When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
- Acts 15:41And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 20:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.